rying to shed a few pounds or just maintain
your weight? Then you may need to cut
down on eating out.

According to a study presented at theAmerican Heart Association’s Epidemiologyand Prevention/Lifestyle and CardiometabolicHealth 2017 Scientific Sessions, the temptation to overeat forpeople trying to lose weight or maintain a lower body weight isstronger when eating in a social setting.

For the study, researchers used smartphones and a
custom-developed application to capture data as 150
dieters, 90 percent women, moved through everyday life for
12 months. The participants were trying to limit calories to a
specific number per day.

The technique deployed to survey the dieters —
ecological momentary assessment (EMA) — has been used
to study topics including addiction, pain, work stress and
asthma. EMA assesses emotions and behaviors in real-time
and in natural settings.

The dieters reported their surroundings, what they werefeeling and whether they were tempted to break, or broke,Researchers can use the data to develop support thatcan be delivered electronically to dieters in real-time whenthey need it, Burke said.

Participants’ average body-mass index was 34.0 — for
instance, a 5-foot- 4 woman weighing about 200 pounds, or a
5-foot- 9 man weighing 230. More than one-third of U.S. adults
have a BMI of 30 or more, the level considered obese.

During the study, women weighing less than 200 pounds
had a daily diet target of 1,200 calories, and men at that
weight 1,500 calories. Among those weighing more than
200 pounds, the goal was 1,500 calories for women and
1,800 for men. Dieters aimed to limit fat to about 25 percent
of total calories.